The Mom Hour

What does “stranger danger” really mean (and is that the best way to phrase it for our kids)? In Episode 13, Meagan and Sarah talk about giving our kids tools and information to make them safer and more capable as their independence increases.Episode 13 is the second installment in our two-part series on free-range parenting – if you haven’t listened to Episode 12 yet, you can find it right here (no need to listen in order – the conversation was far from sequential)LINKS MENTIONED:Melissa Atkins Wardy’s fantastic blog Pigtail Pals, specifically this post about kids listening to their “tummy voices”Risky Play: Why Children Love It And Need It (from Peter Gray’s Freedom to Learn blog for Psychology Today)MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/p

We want our kids to grow up independent, resourceful, and confident. We also care about their safety. So where's the balance between letting them go and protecting them? And what happens when our 'risk-tolerance' is out of synch with the neighborhood norms? Meagan and Sarah discuss all this and more in Episode 12. This is part one in a two-part series on free-range parenting - be sure to check back next week for the continuation of our discussion!LINKS MENTIONED:Lenore Sknazy's Free Range Kids website (and book, and TV show)Posts from The Happiest Home6 Ways To Encourage Free Play, Create Stronger Communities, & Raise Safer KidsParenting As Though Tomorrow Will Always ComeBooks by Gavin de BeckerProtecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane)The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals that Protect Us From Violence MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (

What happens when your kids are all in school, or the overwhelmingly in-your-face years of early motherhood are behind you? Have you thought about what kind of creative hobbies you’ll return to, what your career will look like, or what that available time will mean for your “non-mom self”? In Episode 11 Meagan shares her perspective as a mom on the other side of the trenches (while Sarah asks questions and listens from her place still in them). We talk about the shift that happens when kids get older and need us a little less – how it’s both liberating and also a little sad and scary – and about the obstacles some women face as they navigate these “beyond baby” years.LINKS MENTIONED:Episode 6, where we talk about how to know if you’re “done” having babiesMeagan’s Beyond Baby book (by no means a prerequisite for the retreat, but written around a similar theme) can be purchased from this pageMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on Instagram

Confession: We don’t LOVE playing make-believe with our kids. Or pushing them on the swings. Or reading Dr. Seuss. But guess what? We’re kind of OK with that. In Episode 10, Meagan and Sarah confess the things they sort of hate doing with their kids – and also share some of the things they love doing. Turns out, we don’t have to love it all – because there’s plenty to enjoy about spending time with your kids (even if you avoid Chutes & Ladders like the plague).LINKS MENTIONED:Meagan’s interview with Read Aloud Revival‘s Sarah MackenzieRaising joyful readers: It’s a family affair (Sharon Holbrook for The Washington Post)Sarah’s library uses the Overdrive app for free digital (audio and ebook) downloads – yours may use the same, or something similar!The Case For Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World (book by Susan Linn)MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener

We aren’t sure we’re saying the right things here. But after the events in Charleston earlier this month, we’re sure about one thing: silence isn’t an option. In Episode 9, Meagan and Sarah discuss race and racism, talking with kids about differences, and some of the reasons that, according to research, white parents avoid talkingContinue the conversation:Instagram | Private Facebook Community | Our Newsletter | Deals From Our Partners | WebsiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Camping with kids. You're either doing it already... or you're not. And if you're not, is it because it seems intimidating? And a little, um, complicated? If so, let this be the summer you give it a try! As part of our campaign with Kimberly-Clark (more on that, below), we're talking all about getting kids out into nature this summer - including camping! Meagan's an expert and Sarah's a newbie, so between them you'll have lots to learn (and probably laugh at).LINKS WE MENTIONED:This post on The Happiest Home about making camping easier - even for beginnersLast Child in the Woods, by Richard LouvThe Pie Iron Sandwich Cooker Meagan loves for campfire cookingThis list from Mighty Girl featuring books about kids loving nature (not mentioned in the show, but discovered after we recorded!)MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)

When listener Jacquie emailed us this question, we knew right away we wanted to answer it on the show: I am contemplating having one more baby. [Having three kids] is pretty unusual in my area/social circles so I don’t have a lot of people to ask. What surprised you about having a third baby? Episode 7 is all about being "done" (or not) having babies. How did we know we were done? Do we ever get over that urge to snuggle a newborn? What happens when time isn't on your side or you and your spouse disagree on growing the family? And, to answer Jacquie's question specifically, what are the logistical and psychological differences between having two kids and having three?MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-

Why does it feel like summer actually creates MORE work for busy moms? When kids are home from school, the snack-requests never end and laundry multiplies overnight. Episode 6 is all about "summer short-cuts" - little ways Meagan and Sarah cheat their way to an easier summer.LINKS MENTIONED:Zoku Mini Pop MoldsreCAP Mason Jar lidsMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Should kids really write thank-you notes for every gift? What are the non-negotiable table manners in Meagan's and Sarah's houses? How do we teach everyday manners and common courtesy to kids who are still learning to sit still and use a fork? We discuss these questions and more in Episode 5! Join us for a fun discussion about teaching manners - and, as usual, you can expect us to get REAL about how things actually look in our families!MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s warm out! But we have so much to DO… How can busy families balance the end-of-school madness with the desire to sit on the front porch and enjoy the sunshine? In Episode 4, Meagan and Sarah discuss simple ways to celebrate the season and do a little venting about the end-of-year parenting slump.LINKS MENTIONED:Worst End of School Year Mom Ever (Jen Hatmaker)Parents At The Beginning Of The School Year Vs. The End (Mike Spohr for Buzzfeed)Meagan’s interview with Candid Classroom author Erica Ladd (The Home Hour Ep.49)3 Ways To Celebrate The End Of School (Tricia Mirchandani)MORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How much of the media you consume makes you feel energized and inspired? How much feeds your inner critic and makes you look up from the computer guiltily, wondering how much “real life” you’ve missed? In this episode Meagan and Sarah talk about ways to break the cycle of too much Facebook (or whatever your online rabbit hole of choice might be) and back away from the laptop or smartphone when media use become mindless and draining. We also offer suggestions for adding new sources into your “media diet” that help broaden, instead of narrow, the type of information you consume.LINKS MENTIONED:Episode 56 of The Home Hour with Karen Walrond: Curating a Life You LoveHow Meagan un-followed more than 5,000 Twitter accountsSpotify streaming music servicePodcasts we love: Smart Passive Income, America’s Test Kitchen, Spilled Milk, Brains On!, Potter & DaughterHands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford, and her interview with Meagan on The Home HourMORE HELPFUL LINKSV

How do you model responsible behavior in front of your kids? In this episode, Meagan and Sarah discuss how adult drinking works in our families, and expand on the alcohol discussion to other ways we act as a role model for our kids and teens (spoiler alert: no one's perfect).HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do you do when you have an epic meltdown in front of your kids? Hosts Sarah Powers and Meagan Francis share their most embarrassing and over-the-top mom meltdowns, plus tips for pulling yourself together when you're about to fall apart.LINKS MENTIONED:Sarah's kids' newest obsession: Brains On! science podcast Meagan's recent personality test discovery: Enneagram This post from The Happiest Home: Tips For Saving The Day When You're Freaking Out This epic (and poop-related) meltdown Meagan wrote about a few years agoMORE HELPFUL LINKS:Visit our websiteCheck out deals from our partnersFollow us on InstagramJoin our private listener group on Facebook (be sure to answer the membership questions!)Sign up for our newsletterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.